Series: Fever Falls Series by Riley Hart
Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 81426 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 407(@200wpm)___ 326(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81426 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 407(@200wpm)___ 326(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Cam reached over and threaded his fingers with mine.
His father’s stare locked on us. “I have to say, I wonder if the two of you had any influence on this.”
“Dad!” Theo shouted. “They’re my friends…like my brothers. I’ve known for a long time…for like…ever. Can’t you see that?”
“That’s enough!” Annie said to her ex-husband. “That. Is. Enough. Don’t make him feel bad. They helped him when we didn’t. He’s our son. It’s our job to love and support him no matter what.” She turned to us then. “Thank you,” Annie said to us, tears in her eyes. “Thank you for being there for him.”
“I don’t know… I’m not ready to accept this,” he answered, and Cam’s hand tightened on mine. I thought maybe he was thinking about Henry and why Henry struggled with accepting who he was.
“Then you can leave,” Annie told him.
“Theodore. Listen to me—”
“No,” Theo cut his father off. “This is who I am, and it’s not going to change. I don’t want it to change. I’ve been so scared of who I am…of admitting it and coming out, but I won’t do that anymore. I like myself, for maybe the first time ever. I’m…I’m all those things that Jude said. I won’t be ashamed of being gay anymore.” Then…then he looked at Cam and me, and smiled.
My heart banged against my chest as pride swelled within me. I had never been as proud of anyone as I was of Theo.
His father stood and walked out. Rage surged through me. What the hell was wrong with him? How could he give a shit about who his son loved? I knew it happened that way sometimes, but fuck, I really hadn’t wanted it to happen to Theo.
“I’m very proud of you,” his mom told him. “He’ll come around, and if he doesn’t, that’s on him, not you. Don’t ever feel like there’s something wrong with you, and I’m so damn sorry you ever had to worry about whether I would accept you or not. I will always love you.”
Theo nodded, and they hugged. When he pulled away, he walked over to Cam and me. I stood just as Theo threw his arms around me and cried into my chest. “I’m so damn sorry, kiddo.” I couldn’t help but feel a little responsible.
“It’s not your fault…it’s his. His loss,” Theo replied.
“Damn right,” Cam added, hugging him too.
“I want to thank you both again, for being there for Theo when I wasn’t. It really means a lot to me. I’m not proud of how I’ve acted since the divorce, losing myself in my work, but that changes right now. Theo is the most important thing, and…maybe the four of us can have dinner here together one night? And I’d also be interested in looking for some groups at the center for parents.”
“That’d be great. We’d love to,” Cam answered. “And we can definitely help you find some organizations. The Fever Falls center has a great PFLAG group that meets there.”
We stayed there for another hour or so. We all wanted to make sure Theo was okay, that he knew he was loved and accepted. And before we left, we set plans for dinner with the four of us the next week.
Theo walked us to my condo, and I asked, “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m sad, but…yeah. My dad…I figured he would be that way. We’ve never been close. He has his new wife and his new son, and that’s okay. I spent the whole day thinking about what he said when I came out—how I was too young and I could change. I thought about Trey and all those kids at the center. I thought about your friends, and you guys, and it just sort of clicked. I don’t want to change. This is me, and I’m a cool-ass guy. If someone else can’t see that, it’s their problem.”
“Damn straight,” Camden replied. “I’m proud of ya, kid.”
“I’m proud of me too.” Theo looked at me…smiled. “Thanks, big brother,” he said, blushing.
“Always, little brother.”
He hugged us once more and then went back home.
Cam walked toward me, then cupped my face and looked at me. “Are you okay, Beautiful?”
“Yes and no. I really fucking hate his dad. I wanted to knock him the hell out.”
“You and me both.”
“But I’m proud of Theo. And this seems to have brought him closer to his mom, and he’s…happy. You think he’s really happy, right?”
“I do. It won’t always be easy, and he’ll be hurt because of his dad, but Theo took a big step today. And he’s proud of who he is. No matter what happens, he’ll have his mom in his corner, and he’ll have us.”
My whole chest felt like it was expanding as I pulled him close. Goddamn, I loved this man. “What about you? Are you okay?”